Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1887-11-19
The Execution by Hanging OF
Parsons, Spies, Fischer
and Engle.
Defiant to the End, Their Last Words
Were in Justification of
Their Deeds.
Their Necks Unbroken-They Were
Literally Throttled and Stran-
Eled to Death.

in what is known as the lawyers cage, and
were within ten feet of the anarchists. At
o'clock one of them made tour of the
lower corridor, where Spies, Parsons,
Fischer and Engel were confined. In each
cell were twp stalwart guards who stood
watch over the anarchists The former
chatted in low tones and whispered jokes
among themselves to while away the time.
But the talk and whispered jokes were all
lost upon the prisoners. Each one was in
the heaviest ofslumbers. Spies lay on one
side, his head on his arm, and slept as
peacefully as babe. Fischer had turned
that he frequently let out snore that
echoed in startling manner through
the silent corridors of the building.
Engel lay motionless, as did Parsons,
except that at times the latter started nn-
easily, as if dreams were coursing through
his mind. Then at intervals the
SILENCE WAS BROKEN
by the stealthy walk of an armed guard,
who made the rounds of the lower corridor
to see that all was we'll The only other
disturbing element was the mewing of the
Jail cat, which kept up the noise so persis-
tently that at last a deputy bore down on,
captured and removed her to the basement
where her cries could not be heard. All
the common prisoners. to the number Of
about 200, were left to their usual cells.
The practice at hangings in Chicago is to
not remove them until few hours before
the execution takes place. Sheriff Matson
decided to follow the old rule. At the
appointed time all of those located in the
tier cells facing north, and which command
o partial view of the scatfold, are marched
into the tiers facing south. where not
glimpse of the execution can be
had. The gallows' for the pres
ent hanging were located in
the extreme northeast corner of the cell
room. An inspection was made Of these
during the night by the associated press
representative They are the largest
EVER ERECTED IN COOK COUNTY.
They were originally built for the
swinging off of the three Italians who killed
a fellow-countryman and shipped his
remains in trunk to Pittsburg. At the
time the murderers were hung, the trap
was made to comfortably hold three men,
but to accommodate the anarchists it has
been enlarged to the extent of two feet and
| a half in width. To reach the scaffold, the
men who are to be executed are escorted
from the Jail Office through the lower
corridor of the cell room TO an iron stair
way which leads to the second tier. This
is distance of ten feet from the ground
floor, and the
PLATFORM OF THE GALLONS
is even with this tier. The woodwork Of
the instrument of destruction Is
painted, or rather stained a very
dull reddish brown, and as
seen by the dim light of the gas jets was
anything but pleasant to look upon. The
weird effect was heightened by the little
sentry box which is located just back of
the trap. In this is stationed the man who
is really the executioner. Into this box
extends rope. At the given signal the
unknown man inside cuts the rope with q
brand new and especially sharpened chisel
of wide dimensions, by striking the chisel
heavy blow with mallet. Down goes
the trap q distance of six feet, and at the
same time the murderers are launched into
eternity.
Sometime after midnight, Parsons com.
planned that the hum of conversation in
the jailer's Office annoyed him and pre-
vented him from sleeping. The wooden
door, which hangs on the Office side of the
heavy bars of the inner door, was closed,
and the Texas anarchist dropped into
AN UNEASY sLUMBER.
In the Office q busy crowd of reporter:
stood writing at the high desks or lounged
about, talking with the deputies. Occa-
sionally a heavy step was heard on the
iron stairs outside, and the storm door wa:
opened, revealing candidate for admission
to all the horrors provided for the posses0rs
of passes. From within the lawyers cage
came the sharp, metallic click of The associ
ated press instrument arranged for the
gathering Of the incidents of the night
Along the otherwise silent corridors sounded
the slow, regular tramp of the deputies com.
posing the death watch, to and fro, cease.
lessly in front of the cell doors behind
which were the
FOUR FORFEITED LIVES
On the streets squad of policemen pa
raded their beats, and all who had 10
business in the neighborhood were neremn.
torily ordered to s'move on The iail
proper occupies the Illinois street front Of
the building, while that part used by the
criminal court fronts on Michigan street.
On the latter front is the main entrance.
through which all who enter must uass'
ms opening is guarded by O heavy double
iron door. which is kept closed and fastened
py paddock and chain. Immediately
"ltnIn the door stand two trusty police
men armed with breech loading rifles and
carrying thirty-eight rounds each in q
convenient cartridge box. step sounds
IN the corridor vestibule, and from the
Watehtul sentries comes the stern question,
VINO comes there?'' A voice from the
outside responds, the paddock opens, the
chain rattles and the doors slide apart q few
lncnes and survey is made by the guards
o. tne individual applying for admission.
II ms credentials are satisfactory, the doors
are opened sufficiently for him to pass in.
The jail proper is reached by crossing the
narrow court, dismal and cold in the dark
ness. In this part of the building special
preparations have been made for the re-
ception of nnwelcome callers. Now and
then louder voice than common floats out
from the cell room, where some ordinary
prisoner has walked with a cry, but from
the ~
CELLS oF Tul f,ornp,t.rrn
comes only the murmnr of conversation
between the p1nrda and thar ,.nrd AhnnA